2012 Impact Factor: 3.160

Talks

A
close-up look at the adolescent brain: Sarah-Jayne Blakemore
at TEDGlobal2012

Sarah-Jayne
Blakemore (ICN) at the Royal Institution

Friday
30th March 2012 at 8pm, Friday Evening Discourse at the Royal Institution

“The
social brain in adolescence” - The brain has evolved to understand and interact
with other people. In the past 20 years neuroscience has shed light on the
neurophysiological basis of the “social brain”, the network of brain regions
involved in understanding others. This talk focuses on how the social
brain develops during adolescence. Adolescence is a period of life
characterised by hormonal, physical, psychological and social change. Recently,
neuroscience research has revolutionised our understanding of the adolescent
brain. Brain imaging research has revealed that the cortex develops during
adolescence in terms of both its structure and how it functions. Social brain
regions undergo particularly protracted development in adolescence. This research
might contribute to an explanation of behaviours that are typically associated
with adolescence, including risk-taking and peer influence. The research also
has potential implications for the education and legal treatment of young
people.

Delegates at the Association for Science Education annual
conference were reacquainted with "Kevin’s
transformation into a teenager" by Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, as the
introduction to an enthralling lecture on the development of the adolescent
brain.